Which of the following actions could be a violation of the Sherman Anti-Trust Act?

The Sherman Anti-Trust Act aims to promote fair competition for the benefit of consumers by prohibiting anticompetitive agreements and practices. One significant area it addresses is the collaboration between competing businesses, which could potentially lead to price-fixing or collusion.

In this context, when competing brokers discuss fees and business practices, they may unintentionally establish agreements that could manipulate the market, such as setting minimum fees or reducing competition among themselves. Such discussions can lead to coordinated behavior that violates anti-trust laws, as they may collectively determine prices or terms of service instead of allowing the market to dictate them based on individual business decisions.

On the other hand, agents offering discounts to buyers, working as independent contractors, and the existence of multiple listing services setting commission rates do not inherently facilitate collusion or price-fixing among competitors. Discounting is generally a personal business decision aimed at attracting clients rather than a cooperative arrangement aimed at controlling the market, while independent contractor status typically emphasizes individual decision-making. Multiple listing services can set certain standards or guidelines, but as long as they do not establish fixed rates that all brokers must follow, they usually do not violate the Sherman Act.